India squad announced for the New Zealand tour

Yuvraj failed to make substantial contributions in the home series against Australia and West Indies, and also in South Africa earlier this month.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the Test and ODI squads for the upcoming series against New Zealand on Tuesday (December 31).

Yuvraj Singh, the left-hand batsman, has been dropped from the ODI squad on the basis of poor form. Yuvraj, who was a part of the team for the two home series against Australia and West Indies, and the ODI leg of the tour to South Africa, failed to make any significant contribution with the bat. He scored a total of 19 runs in four innings against Australia and was dismissed for a second-ball duck in the first ODI against South Africa at Wanderers earlier this month.

The selectors have also named uncapped player Ishwar Pandey, who replaced Pragyan Ojha, in both the ODI and the Test squad. Pandey, who was the leading wicket-taker in the 2012-13 Ranji Trophy season with 48 scalps at 21.06, followed it up with another brilliant season with the ball, with 30 wickets in eight games at 24.76 in the current season, including a couple of five-wicket hauls. Stuart Binny, who is also uncapped at the international level, was among the other new faces to be included in the ODI squad. Binny, who has scored 281 runs including a century and taken ten wickets from six games, has put together some good performances in the ongoing season.

Meanwhile, Varun Aaron, the right-arm pacer, has been recalled after having completely recovered from a back injury. Aaron has picked up 20 wickets from six matches at 21.95 for Jharkhand in the current season. Wriddhiman Saha remains a part of the 17-member Test squad as the reserve wicket keeper.

The tour begins with five ODIs in Napier (January 19), Hamilton (January 22), Auckland (January 25), Hamilton (January 28) and Wellington (January 31). The ODI series will be followed by a two-Test series, to be played in Auckland and Wellington, with the first Test starting on February 6.